Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1887-03-18
NoRE DUTY on WHEAT.

-AOAE DOI ON nHBd
The French Chamber Of Deputies has
approved a bill increasing the duty eli
American wheat 10 per cent to that already
existing-making the duty a, present equal to
20 cents per bushel. We sec II stated In one
sf the leading Chicago papers. where every
iluctuation md movement Of the grain mar.
ket Throughout tho civilized world is closely
watched, that"France has net been heavy
purchaser Of American wheat, but Il tsok,
during the fiscal year ending with june 80
last, more than 10000 600 bushels OF this
cereal. In addition 90 this il consumed Z.
100000 bushels Of American Germ, and 200,-
100000 pounds of American cotton. With
the exception Of 100000 bushels Of eats,
also purchased in this country. Frasce is
no, an important customer Of the United
States. II will be seen that its purchases
here are almsst entirely Of agricultural pro.
ducts. Deprived of the French market for
these the States would be practically with
out the commodities to exchange for the
manifold productions of France which find
their way here"
The tax which has just been laid upon
American wheat is only enc of many such
which all continental nations are lcvying
against all American agricultural products.
Allof these nations cling csthe prepostorous
doctrine OF protection, which is hero falsely
represented as an American institution, and
one of their aims is to restrict their trade
with nation which insists upon hamper.
ing to the utmost their csmmercs with itself
The European Legislation 10 more in the line
of retaliation than anything else. France
observes an nniriendly spirit here, and it
denies lis own markets 10 the nation which
fortifies its ports with custom houses and
collectors. This fact would not be- worthy
OF more than passing attention were it not
for the fact that this retaliation does not fall
upon the classes in America which benefit
by the Chinese policy of non.intercourse,
but comes with crushing force upon the
very element which at home is taxed TO
maintain that odious system. The tillers Of
the soil pay the tariff taxes at home, and
they find their markets for the only things
which they have to sell restricted by the
retaliation which the unwise policy to
which they have consented has invited.
1t is said that five-sixths Of the exports of
the United States are Of the products Of the
soil. Our pauperized manufacturers do not
sell enough goods abroad 10 make the emu
meratien of the trade either profitable or
interesting. II is not the sale of the tariff.
pampered products that brings into the
country the great stores Of foreign goods
and money, but the sale Of the products OF
the soil whose owners in the first instance
support themselves and the paP.fed manu-.
facturers rs well. Strip the country of this
foreign demand for our breadstuffs and pro.
visions and cetten, and bankruptcy would
stare 1t in the face and the grass would grow
kIp the streets Of at least every western city
The prohlsitory Preach tariff against
eicrican wheat is but one step of many,
HI tending ia the same direction. ff"Free
Trade England" which We hear spoken Of
30 frequently with a sneer, shssld conclude
TO retaliate upsn US in tho same way that
the protective tariff continental nations have
dsne it could in an ordinary season bring
poverty and despair to the homes of enc.
half Of the farmers in this country.